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Laurentian, staff union reach contract deal for security guards

The Laurentian University Staff Union (LUSU) and Laurentian University have reached a contract settlement for the Security Guard Group.
The Laurentian University Staff Union (LUSU) and Laurentian University have reached a contract settlement for the Security Guard Group.

LUSU represents about 250 members in the clerical, technical, administrative, service, and maintenance areas, and they certified both the full and part-time security guards in January 2010. Talks have been ongoing since September. A tentative deal was reached the morning of Dec. 19 after almost three days of round-the-clock bargaining.

“It was intense,” LUSU president Tracy Oost said. “But we wanted to get this settled before Christmas. The Security Guard Group will now be fully integrated into the LUSU bargaining unit, and they are very pleased with the deal.”

Highlights of the settlement include a retroactive across-the-board increase of 2.8 per cent effective July 1, 2009, and an increase in shift premiums. All the security guard positions will also be evaluated on the LUSU joint job evaluation system, with any salary adjustments to be phased in over the life of the contract.

Branko Rayakovich, chief negotiator for the university, stated that, “Both teams worked hard. Being amalgamated into LUSU, the guards now have job security, and working conditions on par with other LUSU members. At the same time, we still have 24-hour security coverage for the university, using in-house employees, which we believe is best for the students, staff, and faculty.”

University president Dominic Giroux congratulated both teams on their efforts, stating, “It’s great that both the University’s Board of Governors and LUSU have been able to ratify the contract so quickly. This settlement is very good news in time for the holidays.”

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